STARTVerträge

STARTVerträge, also known as Strategic Arms Reduction Treaties, refers to a series of bilateral arms control agreements between the United States and the Soviet Union (and later Russia). The primary objective of these treaties was to limit and reduce the number of strategic nuclear weapons held by both superpowers. The first major START treaty, START I, was signed in 1991 and entered into force in 1994. It aimed to reduce the number of deployed strategic offensive arms, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and heavy bombers, along with their associated warheads. Subsequent treaties, such as START II (signed 1993, never entered into force) and the New START Treaty (signed 2010, entered into force 2011), continued this effort. New START, the most recent active treaty, limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and deployed and non-deployed strategic delivery vehicles. These agreements typically involve verification measures to ensure compliance, such as on-site inspections and data exchanges. The ongoing relevance of STARTVerträge lies in their contribution to maintaining strategic stability and reducing the risk of nuclear conflict between major nuclear powers.